Amusement riding apparatus



May 28, 1940. R. R. WALKER HA 2,202,543 I AMUSEMENT RIDING APPARATUS Filed July l, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY y 1940. R. R. vyALKl-zl ET AL 4 1 AMUSEMENT RIDING APPARATUS Filed Jfily l, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 28, 1940. R, R, WALKER AL Q 2,202,543

AMUSEMENT RIDING APPARATUS Filed July 1, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet s ATTQENEY Patented May 28, 194i) 1 M I h it I I 2,202,543 AMUSEMENT RIDING APPARATUS Itaymond R. Walker andfGeorg'e SLHahne,

Follansbee, Va. a I

Application July 1,1939, Serial No. 282,531

i zoleime. (01.27%44) v i p v This invention relates to rotary, passenger bearings 6 for the power shaft 4. are provided in UNITED STATES rATENTf- OFFICE carrying, amusement riding devices. the plate I of the pedestal, said power shaft pro- One of the objects of the invention is to protruding through the plate l and terminating at vide an amusement riding device in which the a spaced. distance-above the latter, as shown in passenger cars are vertically reciprocated during Fig. 4'. their rotary movement. The-power shaft ,4 at a short spaced distance Another object of the invention is to provide above the plate 1 is squared, as shown at 8., Two in association with the apparatus I a visible roaxles 9, having longitudinal slots Ill, are received tating element which may be utilized to ascertain about thesquared portion 8 of thepower'shaft, as which of the several passengers riding on the debestshown in Fig. 2. One axle is spaced ,below 10 vice'is entitled to an award, as a free ride on; the other on the drive shaft and said axles are the device. 7 disposed at right angles to each other. Pivot Another object of the invention is to provide pi s attach h 1 9 to the power shaft and in association with the apparatus means for dispermit each axle; to befreely rocked about its playing advertising matter, rotary movement bepivot, pin.. The oppositeends of each axle 9. is 15.

ing imparted to the advertising means, so asto reduced and. accommodates a roller l2 designed readily attract the attention of observers. to besupported by anundulated circular track 7 Another object is to provide an amusement 0r a e- 3 at d t the plate 1. I 1 riding apparatus of the character mentioned i y w 'st Pr l 0 1 2b which is comparatively inexpensive, "simple in from e upp Surface of each of the axles at a construction, and readily assembled and dispoihtihteriofly vthe circumference of h track mantled for transportation to lend portability. 3, a d enc cling each stud is the lower flanged Other objects and advantages not hereinbefore end of n Ornamental tubular i ppO m specifically pointed out will appear from the, fol- 15; The oppositerendsfif the-flanges pr -0n,

-- lowing detailed description and the. accompanye we @1168 the: Supporting arms ing drawings, in which project outwardly beyond the axles "9 and said Figure 1 is a side elevational view r the device; s a e' e v fastened to thev axles by U-b Figure 2 is an enlarged'sectionalview taken on The arms may e appropriately 15 0 line 22 of Fig. l; w an Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on line 33 100. Spaced. para le t h e fl 3Q of Fig.2; a v positely disposed arms i5 and afford rigidity Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the appathereto.. The outer free e ds of each ar '5 h ratus with the passenger cars and their supuspended therefr m a Passenger i w porting arms removed; hereinafter be specifically described.

rated or il1uminatcd,. asby colored electric lamps 35 Fi u .5 i an enlarged sectional iew taken I Manifestly, when the power-shaft 4 i3 I'Ottltfid,

on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; i the axles Swill be rotated therewith, and, asthe Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line li6- 9 3 t s overthe track 13, e s 0f of-Fig, 5; 1 I the axles, together with the thereto attached Figure 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in seca rocked. abmlt'their P t pi s l beti n, of one f the-passenger cays illustrating cause'of thev presence of, the undulations on the.

manner of its suspension; tr ck Surface, the e y causing the passenger cars Figures 15 a, sectional iew taken on line 8 8 '1 to be likewise rocked Ol alternately raise dand of Fig. 7; lowered. Obviously, the undulations of the track Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan i of t must be designed so that when one of the ends of Figure 10 is a detailed sectional View taken on e g O e nd vice 'versa.- line Ill-4D of Fig. 4. I The car supporting arms l5 are attached to Referring to said drawings, the reference the axles 9 at a point inwardly of the track 13 to numeral l designates upright angleirons formlocate the center. of 1 gravity adjacent the center ing a pedestal on which the apparatus is sup- 'of the apparatus to prevent tipping of the appa- 5,0

ported, said pedestalhaving a base 2. v ratus and to substantially eliminate vibration Journaled in roller bearings t located inthe during operation. center of the base 2 is the lowerend of a vertical Encircling the upper. extremity of the power shaft t, said shaft being adapted to be driven by shaft 4 as specifically shown in Fig. 6, is atubular revolving canopy; andan axle 9 is being elevated, the opposite end is 45 any appropriate means, as by the pulley 5. Roller extension shaft vI8 whose upper end terminates with an attached sphere I53 or other appropriate decorative object. The lower end of the extension shaft i8 is embraced by a collar l9, and the collar I9, as well as the extension shaft iii, are together fixed to the power shaft 4, so as to be rotatable therewith, by a set screw 20. The extension shaft HE is provided with an annular flange 2! directly above the collar l9.

Freely rotatable on the extension shaft [8 is a substantially conical, hollow, object 22, hereinafter referred to as a top. The top has an axial sleeve 23 attached thereto by set screws 24 and the sleeve 23 encircles the shaft I8 and is freely rotatable with respect thereto. The lower end of the sleeve 23 is increased in thickness and is designed to rest upon and be supported by the flange 2| of the shaft. Ball bearings 25 in suitable races are provided between the flange 2| and the end of the sleeve 23 so as to facilitate free rotation of the latter on the shaft I8.

The outer periphery of the enlarged lower end of sleeve 23 is serrated, as shown in Fig. 5, and the serrations are embraced by a ring 26 which receives its support from the flange 2|. Ball bearings 21 in suitable races are interposed between the flange 2| and ring 26. A spring pressed cylindrical roller 28 is provided in the space between each of the serrations. The ring 26 and cylindrical rollers 28 are maintained in position by a retaining collar 29 which is fixed to the sleeve 23 by set screw 30.

Projecting downwardly through an aperture in the collar I9, or from a projection formed integrally therewith, is a small shaft 3| which has a lever arm 32 fixed to its lower end. A spiral compression spring 33 encircles the shaft 3| and has one end fixed to the outer end of the lever 32 while the opposite end is attached to the collar 19. Pinned to the upper end of the shaft 3! is an arm 38 whose outer free end is provided with a roller 34, the roller being provided on the upper surface of the arm. The roller 34 is designed to contact a lever 35 which projects outwardly from and is formed integral with the ring 26, and'is designed to be maintained in such contacting relationat all times by a retractile coil spring 36 connecting the ring 26 and the free end of the arm 38.

Shafts 4 and 18, being joined to each other, rotate together as a consequence. Collar [9, as

well as the mechanism carried thereby, rotate with the shaft l8. At one point during a complete revolution of the apparatus the outer end of the lever arm 32 will engage an obstruction, as a stationary pin 31 protruding from the plate 1. Continued rotation of the apparatus will overcome the resistance offered by engagement of pin 3'! and lever arm 32, but such resistance will be overcome only by arcuate movement of the lever arm 32 which, in turn, imparts slight rotary movement to the shaft 3! against the tension of the compression spring 33 and the tension of the latter is thereby increased. The slight rotary movement of the shaft 3! moves the arm 38 and its roller 34 arcuately in a direction away from the lever 35, but the roller is prohibited from breaking contact with the lever 35 because the retractile coil spring 35 moves the ring 26 and its lever 35 in the same direction to compensate for any retraction of the arm 38. As the arm 38 retracts arcuately, the roller 34 will travel outwardly toward the outer extremity of the lever 35 and the angularity of said lever will be altered.

As the lever arm 32 moves out of contact with its engaging stationary pin 31 during continued rotation of the apparatus, the force exerted on the compression spring 33 is instantly released and in recoiling the spring violently forces the parts to assume their original positions. In returning to original position, the arm 38 and roller 34 kick the lever 35 so as to spin the ring 26 at a speed much greater than the speed of the shaft l8. During this increase in speed, the cylindrical rollers 28 become wedged in the serrations of the lower end of the sleeve 23 and, in the manner of a clutch, the rapid rotary movement is transmitted to the sleeve 23 and its top 22 so that the latter is freely rotated independently of and at a speed greater than the remainder of the apparatus. A spinning impulse of the character described is imparted to the top during one complete revolution of the shaft 18.

A plurality of radially disposed and spaced pins 40- project outwardly from the periphery of the top and the spaces between each pin are consecutively numbered. A collar M is fixed to the shaft it above the sleeve 23 and is adapted to rotate therewith. An arm 42 extends outwardly from the collar and has a pointer indicator 43 and a flap 44 provided on its-outer end. Being affixed to the shaft Hi, the arm 42 will rotate therewith about the top, which latter, as hereinbefore described, is also rotating at a greater speed. The person holding the number corresponding to the number on the top at which the indicator points when movement of the entire apparatus ceases is accorded an award. For instance, the respective seats of the passenger cars may be numbered to correspond with the num bers on the top. The person occupying the seat number on which the indicator stops may be awarded a free ride.

Supported by a collar 45 attached to the shaft 18 is the hub 45 of a canopy for the apparatus, the hub being freely rotatable on said shaft. Radial arms 4'l extend outwardly from the hub 46 and the outer ends of the radial arms are joined together by arim consisting of a plurality of flat faces 48. Advertising matter may be carried by each of the fiat faces 48.

Rotation is imparted to the canopy by a plurality of equally spaced pins 49 which depend from the hub. Two of the parallel tie rods I6 are connected by a transverse brace 50, as shown in Fig. 4 and in detail in Fig. 10. extending therefrom an integral lug 5| carrying an appropriate pawl 52. During operation of the apparatus, the pawl 52 will engage one of the depending pins 49 of the canopy as the tie rods l6 are being rocked to freely revolve the canopy on the shaft It, the canopy preferably being rotated in a direction opposite to that in which the passenger cars and the top are being rotated, the direction of rotation of the canopy being dependent u-pon whether the lug 5| and pawl 52 are located on the brace 49 at one side or the other of the shaft H3.

The passenger cars i7, herein shown to simulate miniature airplanes, are preferably suspended from the arms l5 by yoke-like bails 53. The lower ends of each bail is connected by an axle 55, and the cars l! are pivotally borne thereby by means of lugs 55 which encircle the axle 54. Fixed collars 55 prevent shifting of the car on the axle. A leaf spring 58, connected to the axle midway between its ends, exerts equal pressure on the forward and rearward portions of .the car to normally maintain the latter in a horizontal plane.

A manually operable lever 10, pivoted to the The brace 49 has I encased to conceal the operating mechanismside of the car interiorly thereof, has its lower end pivoted to the axle 54 and extends upwardly therefrom interiorly of the car through an aperture in the floor, and projects upwardly in front of one of the seats ll of the car. If the upper end of the lever is pulled rearwardly by the ocwill be exerted upon the car forwardly of the axle and the front of the car will be lowered and the rear of the car will be elevated so as to'simulat'e an airplane losing altitude in flight. Such forward and rearward tilting of the car is limited by a pin 12 fastened to one of the yoke arms of the hail, the inner free end of thepin being received within an arcuately shaped slot 13 provided inthe side of the car.

Each car is preferably equipped with a motor driven propeller l4 operated by the occupant of one of the car seats IL, The propellers 14 may,

if desired, be utilized to drive the apparatus An appropriate housing (not shown) encases the track, axles, rollers, and similar unsightly mechanism. Likewise, the pedestal base may be housed therein.

What is claimed is-- I. In an amusement riding device, a pedestal base, an undulated circular track borne bysaid pedestal base, a driven shaft extending vertically through the center of said track, axles attached to said shaft intermediate their opposite .ends and rockable about pivot pins connecting said axles to'said shaft, rollers carried by the opposite ends of .each axle and adapted to travel over said trackway, anda' supporting arm for a passenger car attached to each axle at a point adjacent its outer end but inwardly of said track.

2. In an amusement riding device, a pedestal base, an undulated circular track, a driven shaft extending verti'callythrough the center of said track, an axlehaving an aperture intermediate its ends encircling saidshaft and attached to said shaft by a pivotpin, said axle being vertically rockable about said pivot pin, rollers carried by the opposite ends of said axle and adapted to travel over said track, and a supporting arm for a passengercar. attached to said axle at a point adjacenteach of its opposite ends but inwardly of said track.

, RAYMOND R. WALKER.

GEORGE S. HAHNE. 

